


5 Times Sam Saw Captain America, and the One Time He Just Saw Steve

by juvjuvychan



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2014-04-12
Packaged: 2018-01-19 03:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1453891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juvjuvychan/pseuds/juvjuvychan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam's seen Captain America five times over the course of his lifetime, but in the end, he just ends up seeing Steve Rogers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	5 Times Sam Saw Captain America, and the One Time He Just Saw Steve

**1**

 

The first time Sam saw Captain America was when his father tugged Sam into his lap to show him some of his old comic books. Sam had wiggled insistently, much more interested in balling ball outside with the other kids than spending all day reading crusty old comics about some dead Captain.

“Now Sam,” his father said using the same voice that made his patrons at the church sit up and listen. “What do you see?” Sam stared and stared but all he saw was a white guy in a gaudy outfit fighting Nazis. “Keep looking.” His father prodded.

So he did, because he was Sam's dad and he did this from time to time. Testing Sam, making Sam study things around him. He made Sam not just glance at the surface, but search for what was hidden beneath the surface. To dig deep and find what he always called the hidden stones within people. Rocks, he always told Sam, because not everyone was a gem, or a diamond, some people were just lumps of dirt, mud, and coal. If only you studied them closely enough.

Sam blinked when he saw it.

“He looks like me,” Sam said pointing to the one black soldier in Captain America's Howling Commandos. He spotted an Asian guy too and thought of his friend down the road who always got teased for his eyes.

His father smiled, and Sam knew this is what he wanted him to see. That they could be heroes too. That no matter what the other kids in at school said, or how the teachers sometimes peered at him with distrust or worse disdain it didn't matter.

Sam wasn't just some black kid from Harlem, he could be a hero too. Just like this man who was standing side-by-side with Captain America of all people. Fighting on the front lines against an impossible enemy and planting his feet on the right side of justice.

“What was his name?” Sam asked fingers tracing the outline of the mans face on the faded pages.

“His name was Gabe Jones, and he fought alongside Captain America.”

 

**2**

 

The second time he saw Captain America he was getting punched in the face in the backyard of his school.  Teachers at this school were a joke when it came to the black and brown kids.  Really they were a joke in general when it came to anyone who wasn't a rich white kid.  Sam could handle it though.  This kids punches hurt, but Sam could take it.

His assailant halted his fists to preen over Sam's fallen form.  He had a nasty twisted grin on his ruddy face, the kind someone who throws kittens in a microwave and drops it from a three story building for kicks.  The boy kicked him in the stomach which was overkill in Sam's opinion. He was already on the ground didn't need to kick him for good measure.

“Dat's right ya monkey, stay right down there where ya belong.” Monkey.  Sam scoffed.  That sure was original.

“You done yet?”  Sam asked spitting a wad of blood on the blacktop.  He'd gotten worse beatings before, you don't live in Harlem without experiencing a few scuffles as much as Sam tried to stay out of them.  He glanced over at the trembling boy who watched wide eyed and scared a few feet away.  “I don't have all day.”

His red-headed attacker pulled him up by his shirt all but growling in his face.  Sam could see the smattering of freckles on the boys nose, the furious glow in his eyes, feel his cigarette stained breath on his face.  Sam's eyes stared back, unwavering.

The kids teeth clacked together noisily he clenched them together so hard.  “You dirty little—”  He pulled his fist back like the trigger of a gun ready to fire.  Sam braced himself for another blow to the face when he caught a glimpse of the kids shirt underneath his black jacket.

Sam slammed his face into the kids nose.  Hard.  The boy reared back, stumbling and disoriented.  He gaped at Sam as blood spurted from his nose in messy rivets.  He tried to sop it up with the sleeve of his shirt cursing a blue streak.

Sam smiled gleefully.  Then the pain of smacking his forehead into another persons face hit him hard. His vision swirled for a minute making he leaned against the fence behind him for support.

“You don't deserve to wear that shirt,” Sam said beaming shamelessly.  Pride pumped through his body like the pain that pounded in his head.  The kid glared at him and Sam knew by the look in his eye, he'd be dealing with this bastard for a while to come.

“You'll pay for this Wilson.”  Sam huffed watched as he ran off with his tail between his legs.

“Whatever you say man.”  Sam walked over to the young boy who appeared to be in some state of frozen awe.  “You okay?”  Sam asked carefully approaching him.  “Not hurt to bad are you?”  The kid shook his head.

“Why'd you help me?”  Sam gave the kid a once over taking in the heavy bruise on his upper cheek, and the quivering of his hands.  The way he stared at Sam with big eyes heavy with tears and gratitude cut Sam deep.  It wasn't right, having to ask such a question.  Wasn't right that Sam was often asked that all the time whenever he stepped in to help another little guy.

“Why wouldn't I?”  The kid did begin crying at that.  Snot dribbling out as tear tracks made their way down his face.  Sam cautiously placed a hand lightly on his shoulder not wanting to make him any more uncomfortable or upset.  Sam didn't say anything, just let the kid cry his heart out like he needed too.  When there was nothing left in him but hiccuping sniffles Sam offered his hand.  “Come on kid, lets get you patched up.”

“Name's Roscoe,” he said throat sounding raw and well used.  “Why'd you get so mad when you saw that guys shirt anyway?”  Roscoe asked whipping some snot away as discretely as possible.  Sam shrugged his shoulders peering up to the sky.

“I guess cause Captain America was everything that punk wasn't.”

 

**3**

 

The third time Sam saw Captain America he was lying on a rough barracks bed next to his partner Riley.  They were both still feeling restless from the days practice mission.  The adrenaline of flying through the air with one of the greatest pieces of machinery strapped to his back and Riley up there with him was like nothing else Sam had ever experienced.

“What'cha thinkin' 'bout?” Riley asked shifting over to face Sam.

“How shitty your speech is,” Sam teased earning him a whack in the face with one of Riley's socks.  “Gross man those could be toxic.”  He tossed the sock back hitting Riley square in the chest.

Riley snorted, “my feet are a god damn treasure.”

“Yeah their a real a petri dish of germs and shit.”

They laughed and Sam knew he'd never want to fly up in the air with anyone but Riley.  They hadn't known each other very long, but you go through the intense training involved in this sort of work, and the bonds you create can't be matched.

“We should play a game,” Riley sat up, blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Sam groaned.  “Don't knock it dude, it'll be fun.”

“Alright, alright,” Sam conceded, “what're we playin?”

“Top five celebs you'd do.”  Riley whispered as if they were sharing dirty secrets.

Sam snorted “the hell kinda game is that?”

“The best kind,” Riley said, and Sam could hear the put-out pout in his tone.

“Fine, you go first.”  Riley listed off the usual suspects like Angelina Jolie, and Olivia Wilde.  When he said Britney Spears Sam felt he had to step in.  There was only so much a man was willing to take.

“Really?” He said raising an eyebrow.

“What, she's still got it.” Sam snickered shaking his head.

“You're still living in the 90s man.”

Riley threw another sock at him, “the 90s were awesome, Spice Girls man, nuff said.”

Sam let out a laugh deep from his chest.

Riley prodded him with the tip of his toe, “you're turn.”  Sam kicked him away before listing off a string of women who had caught his eye time and time again on the covers of magazines or TV.  When he finished Riley was strangely quiet.

“Something wrong?” Sam asked sitting up.

Riley paused and Sam could see, even in the dark, he was thinking deeply about something.

“Well,” Riley began biting his lip, “you didn't name any guys.”  There was a pause where Sam felt like all the air in his lungs had been sucked out.  He wasn't ashamed, far from it. His mother and father had snapped him out of that right quick when he told them.  Sam knew if he had them he'd no other outside approval.  But the military was a different place.  There were rules.  If he wanted to be like his hero, Gabe Jones, he needed to follow them no matter how much he disagreed.

“Not suppose to talk about that.”  Sam shifted an uneasy coil churning up in his stomach.  He turned over facing the wall, hoping the conversation would end there.

“You're my partner,” Riley said after a beat.  Sam felt a warm glow blossom in his chest at the words.  So simply spoken, yet the weight behind them wasn't lost on Sam.  He turned back over to see Riley glancing at him nervously.

The smile the split Sam's face was wide and just a bit watery.

“Yeah, guess you are.”

“So,” Riley said with a soft smile.  The tension of the moment eased up as he asked, “any dudes you do?”  He chuckled to himself like he'd just made the greatest joke in history. Sam rolled his eyes but was grinning all the same.

“Well, I always had kinda a thing for Captain America.” Sam said the admission feeling like a weight being lifted off his chest.  It wasn't so much about the who, but about being able to have someone he could trust this much in his life.

“Doesn't seem your type.”  Riley commented lightly.

Sam closed his eyes picturing the old film reels his father showed him of Captain America, all big eyes, and strong jaw. When he wasn't cheering for Gabe Jones he was drooling over Captain America and that jaw.

“Well,” Sam shrugged, “if I had to pick a white guy.”

 

**4**

 

The fourth time Sam met Captain America, he actually was meeting him face to face.  The news reels and films didn't do him justice.   Not even the HD footage from New York did him justice.  His jaw was a thing of beauty in person.  As was the rest of him Sam noticed giving him a subtle up-down.  The guy hadn't even broken a sweat on their run, while Sam was soaking through his shirt.  Sweat or no, Sam did catch a nice peek of Steve's nipples through his tight running shirt.

They talked for a moment, introducing themselves though why Steve thought no one would know him was beyond Sam.  When Sam mentioned the ice he could see Steve shutting down, removing himself from the situation as politely and subtly as possible.  If it was anyone but Sam, they probably wouldn't have noticed how the shutters slammed down on Steve's eyes, or how his shoulders tensed up and his smile lost it's sincerity.

Sam worked at the VA for a long while.  He'd seen that posture, that closed off look in the eyes, on more than one veteran.  Hell, Sam had seen it on himself when he looked in the mirrors some mornings.

“It's your bed isn't it?”  Sam said feeling a little proud to have surprised Captain America.  Sam wasn't trying to manipulate him or get the guy to bare his soul to him or anything. It was just...just that there was an all to similar cast of loneliness to the guy.  He was like an orphaned child who always saw their parents everywhere even when they were nowhere.  Sam could relate, most vets could.

It wasn't easy, living that life and then coming back from it all.  Sam imagined it had to be different for Steve because of the ice coma thing, but at the core of it, they shared that experience.  Something only fellow soldiers could really understand.

When a car with a downright beautiful woman in the divers seat pulled up shooting a witty joke in Steve's direction, Sam was a little jealous of both of them.  He'd never really liked redheads, but damn if this woman wouldn't have been the exception.

Steve teased him about his running.  Sam, smirking, teased him right back.  For a moment it was almost like they were flirting.  Who knew how it worked for Steve though being from the 40s.  Maybe flirting had been different back then.  Maybe Steve purposely walked that way to flaunt his ass at Sam in a completely friendly way not at all sexual manner. Who knew.  Sam was just sitting back and enjoying the view.  Chances were he's probably never see the man again.  Though Sam did hope he came by to visit the VA.  Not so much for Sam's sake, but for his own.

Well maybe for Sam too, just a little.

Sam shot them both a flirty smile that the redheaded woman caught but Steve didn't.  Oh well, he got a beautiful woman to smile at him today, and a nice glance as Captain America's ass.  All in all, it was a pretty good start to the day.

 

**5**

 

The fifth time Sam sees Captain America it's really the sixth time, but Sam doesn't really count their meeting at the VA as a real meeting since Steve had to leave so quickly after their talk.  Now he's standing there next to the same beautiful red-headed woman—Natasha Romanoff she introduced officially—covered in dirt, and smelling of smoke and fire.

“Everyone we know is trying to kill us,” Natasha, in that moment, reminded Sam of a lost child looking for someone to cling to while they find her parents.  He wondered idly what she's lost on their way to get to Sam's.  She's not a soldier, but Sam can still see a burden on her shoulders that weighs her down.

Sam straightened, peering around quickly to check the area, before stepping aside to let them in.  Captain America and his friend need his help, there's no doubt in Sam's mind he's doing the right thing.  When everything gets explained, and Sam becomes an official part of Team America—Steve tells him not to call them that but Natasha backs him up on the name so its settled—the series of events that follow are like living in the eye of a hurricane.

There's shootouts on bridges and highways, super assassins with Russian stars tattooed on their metal freaking arms, the return of a loved one believed dead, the return of a friend who everyone thought was dead, and the take down of the biggest intelligence agency in America.

Its been a day.

As dust settles and everything is out in the open Sam stands by Steve's side feet firmly planted.  Sam's pretty sure he's just a little bit in love with this man.  That doesn't matter though, not when Steve needs his help.  Not when he's pretty sure the world is about to change as they know it.  Not when there's a mission for them to complete.

Sam will see through it all, right on Steve's left.

 

**1+**

 

They're at some to small hotel resting their muscles after another long day of dead-ends and HYDRA agents.  Sam has a sneaking suspicious that Bucky Barnes is an asshole who is secretly following them while they search.  Sam wouldn't put it past the guy.

There have been a couple of close calls on their journey to find Bucky.  Who knew hunting down a former super assassin would lead them into so many secret HYDRA bases?

Sam is pretty sure a sniper has helped them out of a few tight spots, but Sam can't say for sure.

“I'm beat man, put a fork in me I am done.”  Sam flopped down on the bed with a heavy gush of air.  It wasn't the softest mattress he ever slept on, which meant it felt damn perfect.

On the other bed Sam hears Steve laugh.  He doesn't laugh much, or he didn't when they first started this little road trip.  Steve had closed himself off with only one thing on his mind.  Finding Bucky.  It near consumed him completely until Sam finally had to tell him he was going to kill himself if he kept going at that pace.  Not to mention Sam.

Steve had sobered up then, saying that he was grateful to Sam, unbelievably so.  That he didn't know where he'd be without him.  That he wouldn't have wanted anyone else with him on this.  He wouldn't want anyone else to be his partner.  When Steve had tentatively hugged Sam after his confession, Sam battled with what he wanted to do, versus what he knew he needed to do.

Sam had hugged Steve back, stroking his shoulders in a strictly platonic manner.  Sam might be in love with one Steve Rogers, but he'd never take this situation and try to turn it into his favor.

His mother always said he was a good of a man.  Times like this he was glad he could prove her right.

“Hey,” Steve said sitting down on his bed next to him.  Sam peeled open his eyes to see Steve fiddling with his hands.  A nervous habit when he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how to say it.

Sam sat up, “something up Cap?”  Steve stared at him resolutely, the same look he got whenever he was going into a burning building, or worse jumping off said building.  He leaned over Sam slowly, as if giving Sam time to back out.  Their eyes met, as Steve placed a hand on his other side right by Sam's hip, bracketing him in.

“I—can I—Sam thing is—”

“Words Cap, they go together to make a sentence,”  Sam said glibly but the words didn't sound as collected as he wanted them too.  Instead he sounded breathless, mouth dry and body waiting for whatever it was Steve was doing.

Steve's brow furrowed, “I'd really like to kiss you," Steve confessed finally, "can I?”

“Think I might like that,” Sam said beaming as his fingers curled around Steve's hip pulling him just a bit closer.

“Don't know about that, been told I'm a terrible kisser.” Steve said with a wide grin. His breath brushed against Sam's already warm face as he closed in.

“Let me be the judge of that.” Sam said leaning in to finally seal their lips together.  Steve responded quickly pressing back with a small whimper in his throat.

The kiss felt like something that was finally happening, that was always meant to happen, but just needed the time to grow.  Steve's lips were soft, if a bit chapped.  He pressed a little to hard, and didn't turn his head the right way which made their noses bump slightly.  Sam chuckled into his mouth, but before Steve could pull away he grabbed the back of Steve's head to pull him back in.

He tilted Steve's head with a sharp tug of his hair that had Steve groaning into his mouth.  Sam aligned their mouths together more firmly sucking the sound right out Steve's mouth.  He massaged his fingers in the hairs on the back of Steve's neck and felt him sign pleasantly.  Sam took his chance and grazed his tongue gently against Steve's lips.  The kiss was tender, but felt more passionate than most other kisses Sam had experienced in his lifetime.  Part of him couldn't believe he was sitting on some crumby hotel bed, in the middle of some backwater county, kissing the daylights out of Steve Rogers.

“Steve,” Sam breathed feeling winded, while Steve just appeared dazed.  Cheeks a bright red and lips even darker, everything about him screaming temptation.  “Damn you're hot.” Steve chuckled disbelievingly.

“Me? You should see yourself, god Sam.”  His voice was so full of need that Sam couldn't help but pull them together again.  Mouths open, tongues touching, while their hands—Sam wasn't even sure whose anymore—ran up and down each others bodies feeling muscle and occasionally grazing skin.

When they pulled back a second time Steve had the most blinding smile stretched across his face.  He nuzzled his nose against Sam's.

“Say my name.” Steve said, but it sounded more like a question to Sam's ears.

He hugged the other man close, burying his face in Steve's neck smelling the sweat, soap, and aftershave there.  “Steve,” Sam said tugging on his ear lobe lightly with his teeth, “Steve.”

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr was talking about how we needed more Sam Wilson headcanons. So this fic was basically born out of that need and turned into this nine page story about Sam seeing Cap five times in his life and some romance thrown in. So it's more like five pieces of sam wilson headcanon with some cap thrown in for sad shipper reasons. 
> 
> Some references to the comics here too, like Sam's father being a minister, Roscoe, and the fact Sam doesn't like redheads/fights a redhead was a callback to his battles with Red Skull lol
> 
> also I didn't include the thug crap of his history because it's gross


End file.
